Between the Raindrops
by sagebrooks
Summary: They had made a silent vow to each other to never give up, never give in, and never lose the other. Aaron and Marta knew they needed each other, and they weren't about to give that up. They would always have their backs, between the raindrops and every step of the way. This is based off of the Lifehouse song, Between the Raindrops. Please rate and review and I'll update often!
1. Between the Raindrops

**Between the Rain Drops**

It was Aaron and Marta. It always had been, though Marta had not realized it before. Her entire life before she met Aaron was leading up to the life she was meant to live—Aaron and Marta.

Doctor Marta Shearing's life before now seemed like an insignificant dream. Vaguely, she remembered parts of her normal life . . . Christmastime with her family. Parties with her coworkers. Late night take out foods in the lab when she couldn't afford to stop her progress in research and go home. But then all the memories went back to Number 5.

Number 5. The name itself, his name, gave her chills just thinking about it. How is it that she, a scientist, could be so oblivious to the life she was robbing, so oblivious to the feelings she felt for him?

She remembered those feelings now. She remembered when Number 5 would come into the lab for his check-ups. She remembered the first time she saw him, how bloodshot and pained he looked. She remembered the next time, when he was actually healthy! She remembered his tan skin, his bright blue eyes, his dirty blonde hair that clung to his head. She remembered how her heart sped up just a little faster when he took off his shirt to be examined. She remembered his mischievous little smirk when she looked at him. She remembered how her blood rushed when he said to her, "The cameras. Of course. Is that why you make such an attractive appearance?" She remembered holding his head as he blacked out, and how he had saved her life just days later when the people were sent to kill her. Marta Shearing remembered all that, and how she never once stopped to consider that this was the life she was supposed to live. She was supposed to be with Aaron until they were wiped off the grid, and perhaps even after that.

"Doc." Speaking of Number 5, Aaron's soft voice abruptly shook Marta out of her thoughts. She turned around and smiled thinly and wearily from her cabin in the boat.

"Hey," she whispered back.

Aaron Cross began to walk towards her. "We need to get off the next spot the boat docks," he said. "We've stayed on for too long. It docks tomorrow in Madagascar. Can you be ready?"

"Of course," Marta answered, smiling, trying to cover up the exhaustion, but failing. Being on the run . . . if this was the life she was meant to live, she had to be stronger.

Aaron saw the exhaustion in her face and gently placed his hand on her arm. Marta shivered under his warm touch. "Hey, I know you're tired," he whispered in a low, quiet voice. "I know. This kind of life is not what I wanted for you. I didn't want to take you away from everything, and I'm sorry."

Marta simply shook her head, looking into his deep blue eyes. "You saved my life," she replied. "You don't owe me an apology at all. Just a cup of coffee when we dock. I need a cup of coffee," Marta added with a sheepish grin. Aaron laughed out loud.

"Okay," he agreed. "I will get you a cup of coffee," he replied, his eyes dancing. "Get some rest," he said, bringing his hand back to his side. "It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."

Marta nodded, and went to the bathroom to wash up. This was the life she was meant to live.

Agent Aaron Cross laid in his cabin, staring at the low ceiling above him, sleep escaping him. He couldn't remember the last time he had been responsible for a human life, after he had become Aaron Cross. Kenneth Kitsom had been responsible for thousands, but Kenneth was over. Kenneth Kitsom was dead. Aaron Cross was alive, and it was up to him alone to keep Marta Shearing alive too.

When had this happened to him? When had he decided to take charge of this human life and put her own goodwill ahead of his own? Why had he decided this?

The lab shooting. That's when it had all begun for him. It was the first time Marta Shearing had crossed his mind as a warrior, the first time he knew she had willpower to live. It had started out that he needed her to survive, to get viraled off his chems and the pills to be a part of his DNA. But somewhere along the way, this need turned into a different kind of need. A need to survive emotionally, too. If Marta Shearing was dead, Aaron Cross wasn't sure what would happen to him. The life of his doctor was the reason for him to keep pushing, day after day, to keep her safe.

Aaron remembered his lab visits with Doctor Shearing. He remembered how her brunette hair and tied in a perfect ponytail on her head, strings of hair framing her beautiful pale face. He remembered casually flirting with her, simply because he was lonely, and she was a pretty face to flirt with. He remembered her soft hands holding his head as he slipped into unconsciousness on her table, and the tense smile he received when he said a comment about her eyes, her hands, or her hair. He remembered her holding him when he was sick from the virus, the only person in the world who cared for him.

Aaron Cross had a reason for being Aaron Cross. His reason was to keep Marta Shearing alive, and he would do whatever he could to do just that. Aaron remembered an old saying his old acquaintance, June Monroe, used to say to him every night, "I'll be with you, Kenneth, through the hard times and the bad. I'll be with you between the raindrops." A smile curled up on Aaron's face. "Between the raindrops, Marta," he whispered. "Always." And finally, Aaron Cross fell into a much-needed state of rest.


	2. Riding the Aftershock

** Here's chapter 2! Again, please rate and review! It's based off of the Lifehouse song, Between the Raindrops, and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks guys!**

** Riding the Aftershock**

Aaron awoke early. He glanced at his alarm next to the bed. "Five o' clock," he muttered, walking into the bathroom to change his clothes and wash his face. He looked up at his tan, scarred face in the mirror. He thought of his past, his future. Today. It was going to be a crazy day.

In the next cabin over, Marta Shearing was sleeping soundly. Her body still had no recovered from the events of the past couple of weeks. Her limbs were sore and aching, her brain was tired, and she tried as hard as she could every day, to keep pushing.

Finally, at six, Marta's alarm buzzed. Marta groaned as she forced herself out of bed. Quickly, she ran the shower and put on her comfortable clothes. She remembered what Aaron had said the night before, "It's going to be a busy day." Marta didn't doubt him one little bit.

"I need tabs on them!" Eric Byer demanded in the Outcome control room.

"Sir, we've located them near Madagascar, in the water," Sharon Eckhart replied.

"Good. Keep your eyes on them, and when you feel ready, release the firearms. If you let them get away again," Byer said through clenched teeth, "I swear, you're fired," he threatened.

The stress of the last month was really beginning to wear on Eric Byer as he made his way back to his office. They had come so close to killing Aaron Cross, and who would have thought his doctor, initiator of the Outcome program, would end up saving his life? Eric Byer was stressed and defeated. He closed the door to his office and sat in a heap in his chair, running his fingers through his short, graying hair. This time he had to catch Aaron Cross. It had to be the end.

Marta met Aaron on the dock after she had showered, at seven o' clock sharp. The two smiled warily at each other, both transmitting unspoken worries.

"Marco's about to dock the boat," Aaron said to Marta, referring to the man who had taken them in and saved their lives.

"Do you have a plan?" Marta asked.

"I'm an agent, Doc," Cross responded. "I always have a plan," Aaron said with a playful grin.

"Then let's hear it," Marta said back.

Aaron spread open his map. "We lay low. You're used to that. We walk around town for a while, throwing anyone who thinks they have tabs on us, off. We stay small and move on after a couple of days. It's going to be you and me against the world for a few weeks now, Doc. No more hiding in boats anymore. They'll be expecting that."

Marta only nodded.

"Hey," Aaron said, taking a step closer to his doctor. "You can do this," he said quietly. "You're a warrior," Aaron told her, repeating the words he had said to her when he was sick in that hospital in Manila. Aaron met every word. Marta was the biggest fighter he had seen, and one of the bravest people he knew.

Marta smiled at his compliment, giving her new hope to face the world alone, yet again. She had Aaron, she wasn't really alone.

Just then, the two were shaken out of their moment as half of the boat shattered in front of them, bursting into flames. The explosion caused Marta to be thrown across the boat and slammed into the wall. Aaron glanced up at the sky. "Byer," he muttered, seeing the planes circling overheard. "Marta!" he shouted, searching for the doctor. He ran over to her on the other side of the boat and helped her up. "We're too late. We have to get out of here right now!"

The next few moments were chaos. Aaron tossed Marta a rope and quickly tied it around her waist. Another bomb landed on the boat, shaking the ground under the duo's feet.

"Hurry!" Marta exclaimed, as Aaron tied the rope tighter.

"Stay with me," he ordered, tying the rope around his waist. "Get up here!" he demanded, jumping onto the side of the boat. Marta followed him quickly as pieces of the boat began to shatter around them. "Go!" Aaron yelled, jumping into the water below.

As soon as Marta hit the water she knew she was in for a swim. The water was cold, almost too cold. The shock of it cut Marta like icicles, but she wouldn't give in. Aaron took off swimming toward the shore, which was just a tiny speck in the distance.

"Swim!" Aaron called over his shoulder! "Push!"

Marta was pushing with all of her strength. She forced herself to put one arm over her shoulder, again and again. Marta grew up next to a lake, and she and her sisters swam in it almost every day after school and in the summer. She was used to swimming. It was cold she wasn't used to. But she pushed, harder and harder.

Aaron was like a robot in the water. His arms and legs kicked like clockwork and he dashed through the salty, cold water. He refused to look back and see the destroyed boat behind them, leaving behind Carlos and his young son, Xavier, who had been nothing but hospitable to him and Marta. He refused to think about their fate, their rising up in ashes, yet two more lives lost because of the most wanted, Aaron Cross. He refused to feel guilty, and he kept pushing, the speck of land becoming closer and closer.

By the time Aaron and Marta finally reached the land, Marta was breathing hard and Aaron had barely raised his breath at all.

"They know where we are," Aaron said, handing a water bottle from his pack to the doctor to take a drink. Marta did, gratefully.

"We have to keep going. Walk fast through the city with me; cause any distractions you can within the crowd. Don't lose me," Aaron commanded Marta, untying her from the rope. Marta nodded, handing him back the water bottle, of which Aaron only took a small sip from. "Let's go."

"The boat's destroyed sir," Eckhart said to Byer in the control room. "Completely demolished.

"Any form of life on the boat?" Byer asked.

"None that we can determine. There is no one there," Eckart responded.

Byer didn't even stop to consider. "They got away," he said bluntly. "Get on them!" he shouted, forcing the controllers to hurry back to work.

Aaron grabbed hold on Marta's wrist and began to walk at a quick pack through the crowd of people in Madagascar. He was constantly looking over his shoulder, in the sky, toward the ocean. Of course he knew Byer would find them, any day now, he just expected more time. Aaron had calculated wrong.

Marta was keeping up, much to the excitement of Aaron. She was learning, she was getting trained. Aaron was proud.

Marta remembered what Aaron had said about causing a commotion. She saw a woman with a basket of fruit walk past, and as she did, Marta swiped her hand across the basket, causing the fruits to roll every direction. As chaos erupted behind them, Aaron and Marta briskly walked off. Aaron tossed a quick grin at Marta and kept walking.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man dressed in a black suit and long jeans jumped out of a store. He began running at Aaron but the agent saw. He whipped around, throwing his arms up and punching the man straight in the face. The man backed up and threw a few punches of his own before Aaron grasped him under his leg, whipped him around, and threw him onto the ground, before promptly punching him several times in the face.

"Aaah!" Aaron heard Marta scream behind him. He whipped around and saw another man, tall and muscular in frame, gripping her arms behind the doctor's back.

"Come in," the man said to Aaron through his mask, "and the girl won't get hurt."

Aaron thought quickly. In one swift motion, he put a jab into the man's stomach, causing him to flinch.

"Ow!" Marta yelled as the man's grip on her arms only tightened.

The man lifted his leg and kicked Aaron hard in the chest, causing him to fall backwards.

"Aaron!" Marta exclaimed, as the man approached him. Marta didn't' even think. She twisted her body around and sliced the man in the shoulder with her leg, causing him to stagger. This assault gave Aaron just enough time to regain himself and pop up to give the man a final punch in the face. He pulled Marta away and broke the man's neck.

"Let's go," Aaron whispered to Marta, breathing hard. "Are you hurt?"

Marta only shook her head, though she could feel the blood dripping down her arms from the man's strong hands and the knife he had pulled before Aaron had brought him down.

Aaron noticed her arms. "We need to go," he said, walking briskly through the crowd.

"We lost him. Cheung and Collins were brought down, sir," Gabe Dean reported to Byer. "We have eyes all around Madagascar though; if he leaves, we'll know."

"You'd better," Byer growled. "We are ending this!" he shouted, slamming his fists down on the desk.


	3. Off into the Sunset

**Chapter 3! Please let me know what y'all think! I wanted to put a nice moment between Aaron and Marta in here...don't worry, more moments will come in the future! ;)**

**Off into the Sunset**

"I need a room," Aaron Cross said to the clerk at the front desk of a small, local hotel. "For two."

The woman glanced at the couple suspiciously—both were sopping wet and the girl had a blood gash on her arms.

"Names," she said suspiciously to Aaron, in a rough accent.

"James," Aaron answered quickly. "And June," he added gesturing toward Marta.

The woman was still wary of the two guests, but reluctantly handed Aaron a room key.

"Thank you," Aaron responded, quickly rushing Marta down the hall and into their hotel room. It was already getting dark outside—they must have spent more time in the streets of Madagascar than Aaron had thought.

"You fought hard," Aaron told Marta, as he closed the door behind them and led her to the bathroom to wash her wounds.

"I had to," Marta answered. "Instinct. I'm learning."

"Good," Aaron replied, wetting a towel from the bathroom and gently applying it to her arms. Marta shivered under the cold water and from Aaron's gentle touch. He slowly cleaned the blood away and sanitized the inside of the wound. Marta only yelped in pain once.

"I'm sorry," Aaron said, quickly yanking his hands away.

"It's okay," Marta nodded reassuringly at him. "Keep going." Aaron stared into her eyes and continued to clean her arms.

"Aaron?" Marta whispered as he finished rinsing her arms out. Aaron cleaned the towel and looked at Marta as she turned around.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Who-who is she? Who am I? June?" Marta asked him. He had refused to tell her the last time he had asked, when they were in a hotel in Manila. Marta wanted to know.

Aaron sighed heavily. "She, Ms. Monroe, she was just there when I needed her. When my own family wasn't."

Marta decided not to push the topic anymore, and washed her hands and face. There was something curious about this Ms. Monroe, and she knew Aaron would tell her in his own due time.

"Now, we need to talk about escape routes," Aaron said to Marta, sitting down on the bed and pulling out a map. "Now I'm sure Byer has eyes on us and they're just going to come after us again. But I figure we're safe here for a few days, at least."

"How'd they find us?" Marta asked him, running her fingers through her hair.

"I don't know," Aaron answered. "I figured they would eventually, but not that soon. They probably just traced our route from Manila . . . Marta, I don't know. These people, they have technology and weapons and the motive to catch us, and they will stop at nothing. Look, what you did today against that agent? That was amazing. But we have to train more. You have to get in tip top shape because we're going to be running a lot, fighting a lot."

Aaron stopped talking and looked at the back of Marta Shearing, who was standing against the sink of the bathroom, facing the mirror. He had spoken too much at one time, jumped too far ahead into things.

"Gah, Marta," he grumbled, standing up off the bed. Aaron walked into the entrance of the bathroom and stood at the doorframe. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Sometimes I forget that you're not like me. You're not built to be an assassin. I forget because you fight so hard, and you give everything you've got with anything life throws at you. I'm sorry I forget, and if I asked too much of you."

Marta turned around and faced Aaron. "You don't ask too much," she said. "You saved my life, hundreds of times. You're just trying to keep me alive, and I understand that. I'm just . . . tired."

Aaron took two more steps toward Marta until he was only a breath away from her. "You've saved my life," he whispered. "You've given me a reason to keep pushing, to keep living. So I can keep you alive. Thank you."

Marta only nodded, before falling into the embrace of Aaron Cross. She never tired of feeling his strong arms hold her tight against his body, and his firm chest holding her close. For the first time in a month, Marta Shearing fully relaxed. She closed her eyes against his body, never wanting to let him go.

Aaron Cross had never been good at expressing his emotions. Kenneth Kitsom had always been better at that. But Marta made him feel something different, something that made him open up. As she stood there, broken, tired, and exhausted, surrendering to his body, Aaron wrapped his arms around her tighter. He had to keep her alive, no matter what.

After a few long moments, Aaron and Marta pulled away. "Let's get to bed," Aaron said to her, smiling. "We can work out tomorrow."

Marta nodded and followed Aaron into the bedroom. "Here you can have that side," Aaron said, gesturing toward the only bed there was in the room. Marta slipped off her shoes and fell into the bed, the sun already setting through the window. Aaron followed her into the bed after slipping his own shoes off.

As Marta lay in the bed against the wall, all she could do was stare at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. Aaron's hands were lethal weapons—one jolt and he could kill a man. But Marta had also never known such soft hands. The way he so tenderly cleansed her wound, and gently wrapped his arms around her in an embrace . . . they were the gentlest hands she knew, and the most deadly. He was the most deadly, and Marta knew that he could kill her in one instant if he so wished. But Aaron would never kill the doctor. He was soft with her, he was lethal because of her.

Marta glanced over at Aaron, laying on the opposite side of the bed. He was rolled up in a ball at the edge, leaving her as much room as he could. Marta rolled back over, longing to feel Aaron Cross' gentle, calming hands on her waist, stroking her back as she attempted to sleep. Calming her down, giving her peace. But Aaron stayed right where he was, at the edge of the bed, as the two fell into a deep sleep.


	4. Nothing Left to Lose

**So we're finally getting to the plot! I was very excited to write this chapter. PLEASE review, and let me know what you all think about where this story is going! Hope you enjoy!**

**Nothing Left to Lose**

"Do we still have eyes on them?" Eric Byer demanded to his crew in the control room.

"Yes, sir," Hastings answered. "And we have other news, sir," he added.

"Tell me," Byer said, falling into a chair.

"The planes found life on the boat. It's a young boy, probably eleven or twelve, the sailor's son. He's in critical condition, but we have him alive."

The wheels began to turn in Eric Byer's head. "Don't lose him," he said. "He could be of great service to us."

It was late morning when Marta finally opened her eyes. She could tell as the sun shined directly in her eyes through the only small window in the hotel room. Marta rolled over, on the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning," Aaron greeted her from the hotel bathroom.

"Hey," Marta said with a smile, getting out of bed to wash her face and run a comb through her hair. "What are you doing?" she asked as she passed Aaron in the bathroom. He was fumbling with some ID cards under the light.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Aaron answered, shoving the cards back into his pocket.

"Aaron," Marta said, touching his arm, her eyes pleading. "We're a team. You're supposed to tell me things. You can trust me."

Aaron looked up and stared directly into Marta's eyes. "I know, Marta," he said a bit rougher than Marta expected. "Marta, I trust you more than anyone in this world. Don't forget that. I just, have demons from my past."

Marta rubbed his arm. "You can tell me," she whispered, a sweet smile tugging at her lips. "Please tell me."

Aaron sighed heavily and sat down on the bed, placing his head in his hands. Marta sat down next to him, about a foot away.

"Back when I was Kenneth, I didn't have many friends, I didn't have very many opportunities. You know I failed the IQ test to enlist in the army, and that's why I'm in this program; that's why I'm Aaron.

"My problems started before Aaron though. My parents were disappointed in me. My older brother was mentally disabled, and my older sister had a baby when she was 15. They were out of patience for their kids. I was their last hope. So when I failed the sixth grade, they gave up all hope and abandoned me and my brother. My neighbor," Aaron sighed heavily, "she took us in. She raised us. And I wanted to make her proud."

"Who was the neighbor?" Marta asked softly.

Aaron glanced at her. "June Monroe," he said. "She died because of this program I'm in. She died so I could be successful. They came, and they wiped out my old life. They killed my brother and my parents and my sister and Ms. Monroe. I just found out before they sent me out to Alaska." Aaron sighed heavily. He was relieved to finally tell someone his story, but he worried about what Marta would think. "I thought I had nothing left to lose by joining Outcome. I had disappointed my parents, my teachers, my sister . . . but I had Ms. Monroe to lose. And they took her from me."

Marta moved closer to Aaron and started rubbing his back. "It's okay," she whispered.

Aaron turned to look at her. "That's why you're June Monroe," he said to his former doctor. "You're my June Monroe. You took me in when I hit my breaking points, you're the reason I keep pushing. And I will do whatever I can to keep you alive, the opposite of what I did with Ms. Monroe. You're my second chance."

Marta moved closer, her heart melting for this weak, sensitive man in front of her. He covered it all up with his quick, killer hands, but inside he was falling apart every single day.

"Sh," she whispered, feeling Aaron begin to tremble. Marta turned toward him so that they were facing each other on the bed. She reached for his head and pulled him in, wrapping her arms around him. "Aaron, you're my hero," she whispered in his ear which was right next to her head. "You're all I have too."

Aaron tentatively wrapped his arms around Marta's waist, and they two sat there, in complete silence on the bed. Aaron was being enclosed by Marta, as she held his head close to her chest and stroked her hands lovingly through his hair. Aaron held Marta around her waist, rubbing her back, sending chills down her spine. The two fugitives sat on the bed for ten minutes, allowing themselves to completely relax, being completely vulnerable to the world. And the world got its revenge.

"Xavier," Eric Byer whispered harshly in to the ears of the young boy in the Outcome interrogation room.

Xavier looked around the room, so nervous he was shaking. He didn't respond to Byer.

"How old are you, son?" Byer asked, sitting down in a chair across from the boy.

"11," Xavier answered in rough English, refusing to look Byer in the eyes.

"So, your whole life is ahead of you," Eric Byer replied, leaning back in the chair, only making Xavier even more nervous. "Listen. I don't want to take it away from you, but there are these people that my crew and I, we need to catch. And I believe your father was transporting them. Do you know who I'm talking about, Xavier?"

Xavier glanced nervously around the room. "Yes," he said softly.

"I need your help, young man," Byer said. "These people, they are a danger to society. If you know anything about them, you need to tell me. Right now."

Xavier finally looked Eric Byer right in the eyes. "Sir," he said, "I told you I know those people. So I know more than you, that they are not a danger to society. They are the nicest people my papa and I know."

Eric Byer ran his fingers through his hair. "Xavier, this man, he is trained to kill. He kills people!"

Xavier narrowed his eyes at Eric Byer, his confidence rising. "Then how come my papa did not die until you and your people came? Sir, you are the killer."

Byer stared at the boy for what felt like an eternity, and then left the room abruptly, bitter.

"In other news," the newscaster announced on the hotel TV the following evening, "a boat in the Indian ocean went up in flames yesterday. No life form was found on the boat, except for one young boy rescuers were able to save." At those words Aaron tore out of the bathroom and called Marta in from the shower. He stood mesmerized in front of the TV.

"The boy remains in critical condition, and he is currently in custody until family members are notified." Suddenly the face of Eric Byer appeared on the screen.

"Oh my God," Aaron muttered under his breath.

""We plan to take good care of the boy. If anyone knows anything about him, and wants him to be safe, notify us immediately." A number flashed on the screen and Aaron jotted it down.

"Aaron, what does this mean?" Marta asked, confusing and terrified all at the same time.

Aaron rushed around the room, gathering all the supplies the duo had spread around the room. "It means that Byer plans to use the boy to find out where we are."

"But Xavier is a good kid! He won't tell!" Marta protested.

"Exactly," Aaron said, throwing a duffel bag at Marta. "Byer will stop at nothing to kill me. Remember Ms. Monroe? I will not allow that boy to die because of me. And now he knows things about Outcome that will help us get off the grid. We have something to lose now, Marta." Aaron opened the hotel room door and began to walk down the hallway at a quick pace.

"Aaron, where are we going?" Marta exclaimed, running after the agent.

Aaron never stopped walking. "Wherever this number leads us to."


	5. Chasing After Gold Mines

**Sorry it's taken me awhile to update...midterms and such this week :/ but im back! This chapter is a little shorter than what I usually do, but I think short and sweet is good fro this chapter, and it's a good buildup to the long, action-packed chapter that will be here next time! I'll update as soon as I can, but it probably won't be till Thursday or so. Keep the reviews coming... glad yall like it so much! :)**

**Chasing After Gold Mines**

Marta was used to running. She had gotten good at it in the last few weeks she'd been with Aaron Cross. So running away with him—again, was nothing new to her at all. But what he was doing? The reason for his running . . . it was all new to her.

"Aaron," Marta finally managed to say after the two had been walking briskly through the city for a good ten minutes. Aaron didn't even turn around. "Aaron," Marta said harsher, sterner, and stopped in the middle of the streets. Aaron slowly turned around and started to walk toward Marta.

"Marta, what are you doing? We have to go!" Aaron grabbed her arm, but Marta just shook off his hand, a new feeling for her.

"Aaron, you've never left safety to save someone for any other reason other than getting ahead. This boy won't help us get ahead much, if any. How is this strategic to staying alive?" Marta said, for the first time actually questioning Aaron's motives.

"Marta, I told you," Aaron responded, "He can help us find out more about Byer. And morally, he's just a kid. I've never had kids in my life, and he doesn't deserve to suffer whatever he's suffering through over me. He and his father, they did things for us that can never be repaid. But I have to try," Aaron said. "You think we're really 'safe'? Marta, I don't doubt for a minute they have eyes all around Madagascar. Calling this number won't make me unsafe . . . they'll find me sooner or later."

Marta sighed, still unsure if this was the right move. "Aaron, you're falling into Byer's trap."

"Marta I'm not!" Aaron demanded. "I'm Aaron Cross. I have a plan."

Marta looked into Aaron's face. "Just please, don't do anything stupid. Please."

Aaron took each of Marta's hands into his. "I won't," he whispered, staring at her beautiful green eyes. "Do you trust me?"

Marta stared at his blue eyes. Before she could answer, Aaron walked into a store on the corner, and Marta followed him inside.

"What are you doing?" she asked him inside the café, confused. Aaron turned around, holding out a cup. "Getting you that cup of coffee I promised you." He smiled, handing the cup to her. Marta grinned back at him.

"Drink it fast," Aaron said, "we have to go."

"So Xavier," Eric Byer said, entering the room where the boy was being held, locking the door behind him. Xavier didn't respond.

"I reached out to your friends. It's now when we find out if they really are your friends," Byer whispered to the boy. "If they can come for you."

"Mr. Cross will," the boy responded.

"You think?" Byer said, crossing his arms as he sat on the table. "I hope so," he answered, walking out of the room, leaving Xavier alone again.

"Sir, sir, Cross had made contact," Dean said to Byer as he walked out of the questioning room. Byer quickened his pace and followed Dean into the patrol office.

"What do we have?" he asked his team.

"We haven't picked up yet, sir. We were waiting for you."

Byer walked over to the phone and picked it up on the fourth ring. "Hello?"

"Byer," the voice breathed into the phone.

"Cross?" Byer gestured to his workers to track the phone call. "Where are you?"

"I have a feeling you already know," Cross answered. "Where are you?"

"Our headquarters. New York City. Why?"

"I think I'm going to stop by." Silence.

The phone was dead; Cross was gone. "Quick, where is he?" Byer demanded.

"On the border of Madagascar, sir. We have eyes all on him."

"He wants the kid," Byer said. "Be on the lookout, and do not, under any circumstances, give him the kid."

"New York City," Aaron said, hanging up the phone, and folding up the piece of paper with the number.

"How do you know he was telling the truth?" Marta wondered.

"He had urgency, desperation in his voice. I can tell if someone's lying to me. He wants me, Marta. He's going to tell me the truth."

"Okay," Marta agreed. "So, where to now?"

"Airport," Aaron replied, walking toward the nearest airport and throwing Marta her bag of belongings. "Your ID is in there," he whispered. "You're Abby Fritz, got it?"

"Got it," she answered, following closely behind.

The trip to the airport was uneventful. Marta knew the drill by now. She knew what to expect, where to go, what to wear. No one knew Abby Fritz existed; Aaron had just made that ID. No one was going to find them.

When it was time, Marta and Aaron boarded the plane separately. Aaron first, Marta second. The plan was to sit alone, but when Marta arrived, the only empty seat was next to Aaron. She figured her disguise would be enough; no one would be looking for a redhead with sunglasses. She took the seat next to Aaron.

The two sat in silence for a while as the plane lifted off into the sky. Aaron dozed off in the seat, but Marta couldn't sleep. After a few hours, when Aaron awoke, Marta turned her head to him and whispered ever so quietly, "I do trust you."

Aaron gazed into Marta's sparkling green, tired eyes and he thought he had never seen anything so beautiful. Her words, _I trust you, _were words he hadn't heard in all of his life. Even Ms. June Monroe had never uttered them, though he had said them to her.

Aaron knew no words needed to be said in response to that statement. Instead, he smiled ever so slightly at Marta, and gently placed his hand on her knee. Marta shivered under his strong touch. It seemed like the running, the chasing never ended. But Marta knew, in that moment, she would always have Aaron. And she would always trust him.


	6. Chasing After Goldmines Part 2

Hello everyone! Thanks for waiting so patiently for my update. I got the Bourne Legacy on DVD yesterday, and I stayed up till 1 watching it, so I am totally in love and hooked on Aaron and Marta again! I kind of wanted to take a break from the action here in this chapter and look into the past of Aaron nad Marta, and hopefully answer, and also open some questions you may have. The next chapter will be action-packed, and will probably also be updated today! I hope y'all enjoy and PLEASE review so I'll feel the encouragement to update! :)))

**Chasing After Goldmines Part 2**

Aaron glanced over at Marta, sleeping in the seat next to him. He saw her long, dark hair perfectly frame her pale face and rosy cheeks. Her chest rose up and down, up and down as she breathed deeply, relaxed. Aaron couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. No makeup, just an old sweatshirt, messy hair, but she was beautiful.

No.

Aaron had seen what happened to agents, people in general, who fell in love. He thought back to the man he had met in the mountains in Alaska. "Why are you up here?" he had said. "Did you refuse an assignment, start thinking for yourself? Fall in love?" The man's eyes had darted up at Aaron and he knew, in that brief moment, this agent was stationed up in complete isolation because he had fallen in love. A woman had cost him his training site and ultimately, his life.

After that, Aaron swore to himself to never fall in love. Ever. Women could only distract and endanger his life, not to mention their own. So yes, Marta Shearing was beautiful. She was tough, she was a warrior. She never gave up, and she had saved his life on many occasions, Aaron thought, thinking back to Manila when he had just gotten viraled out and was sick as a dog. Who had been there, rubbing cold washcloths on his sweat-covered body? Marta. Who had been there, holding him when he couldn't sit up or think straight? Marta. Who had yelled his names in the streets when she saw officers surround him? Marta. She never left him. Aaron knew he had the potential and great risk to eventually get her killed, and Marta knew that too. But she still hadn't left him. Not once.

Aaron reached a hand over and gently placed his palm on her cheek as she slept. Ever so quietly so that it was almost inaudible, Aaron whispered, "Thank you, Doc," and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Marta Shearing couldn't sleep on that plane. The seat was too hard, the kids were too noisy, but nevertheless, she still closed her eyes to put Aaron at peace. He had been worried about her lately, whether or not she was sleeping enough. So Marta rested, thinking.

Peter Boyd. Marta hadn't trusted another person since Peter Boyd. She had begun to trust her co-workers, but after the lab shooting, Marta thought she was emotionally unable to trust anyone ever again. And the first time she had met Aaron, not Number 5, but _Aaron, _she thought her life couldn't get any worse. _This man is a control freak, _she had thought as he demanded to know where the chems were. _Is this how they all are? Do we turn them into this? _Yes, in a way she had, but not in the way she originally thought.

_"The science, I'm there for the science," _she remembered telling Aaron when he had first rescued her from the awful people sent to kill her and set fire to her house. Which was true, she was. But she never bothered to look in to anything beyond the science, and Marta kicked herself for that every single day. She never did her research, never knew there was a bigger picture, and that the agents like Number 5 were getting killed, as if they were just replaceable machines, not human beings. She never even knew.

But now Marta knew. She knew that Aaron Cross was not a control freak now, she knew that he was just a killing machine who killed everyone except her. Marta Shearing, she was the reason for all of his problems, the reason for his loss of strength, his distrust, his "mystery flu" eight months ago when he had viraled off greens.

Marta winced at this thought. She had been the one to hurt him the most, yet Aaron Cross never once tried to kill her. In fact, he went out of his way to save her. And that thought made Marta crumble inside.

Even Peter Boyd hadn't done that. Peter Boyd, the man she was engaged to, whom she expected to marry, had walked out on her eight months ago, the same time she had infected Number 5. Yet Number Five _kept coming back. _Peter Boyd left her when she needed him most, but Aaron Cross never did. This man sitting right next to her, truly loved her. Maybe not in a romantic way, it was much too dangerous to love romantically, but just in a simple, best friends, lonely people way.

It was then that Aaron Cross placed his palm on Marta Shearing's face and warmth spread throughout her body. To always have someone right next to you, protecting you, couldn't be put in words. And barely, Marta could hear him utter the words, "Thank you."

Marta slept soundly.


	7. Crossing the Fine Lines

Here's a long chapter to make up for the previous short one. :) I'll probably do about two more chapters to tie everything together. Glad you have been enjoying it!

**Crossing the Fine Lines**

"Please keep your seatbelts on until the plane has landed," the pilot said into the loudspeaker, waking both Aaron and Marta up.

"New York City," Aaron whispered to Marta, staring out the window. Marta nodded, still groggy.

Aaron glanced at his watch. "It's three AM," he said. "Here's the plan," he added, lowering his voice, and sketching down lines and dots on a map.

"We're going in now?" Marta whispered.

"Probably more like dawn, or just before," Aaron replied back. "We want to catch them off guard, right before shift-change, so it's more chaotic for them."

The plane landed, and Abby Fritz and James Carson each went their separate ways. They walked around the airport for awhile, until Marta finally met Aaron at a taxi on the side of the airport. The two sat in complete silence in the taxi so as not to alert any suspecting passers-by or the taxi driver himself.

He dropped the two off at a small restaurant in the suburbs on New York. Aaron quickly paid the man and walked briskly inside and took a seat at a table in the corner with Marta.

"We have just over an hour before dawn," Aaron said to Marta. "I can't talk here, but look over the plans." Aaron passed Marta a napkin with notes scribbled on it on how to catch Byer and his team by surprise.

"What can I get for you?" a waitress asked the two. The restaurant was deserted, all except for Aaron and Marta.

"Just two glasses of water," Aaron answered, and glancing at Marta, also added, "and one cup of coffee, black."

"Coming right up."

Marta studied Aaron. "How did you know I liked my coffee black?"

"I know a lot, Marta," Aaron replied, a small smile creeping up on his face.

"Then tell me this: why are we here? Why are we in a public restaurant, where it's more than easy for people to track us? This isn't like you at all, Aaron."

Aaron leaned forward. "At this point, it's okay if they track us. It will only cause a distraction and they will never see us coming when we get there in one hour and twenty-seven minutes. Did you look over the plan?"

Marta nodded.

"You can do it," Aaron whispered, leaning forward in his chair. "Remember? You're a warrior," he said, repeating what he had said in Manila. Marta dropped her eyes from his gaze. She blushed at his sincere words and confident smile that continued to make her weak.

"Look at me," he whispered, putting his hand on top of hers from across the table. Marta glanced up. "You can do it."

It was then that the waitress brought their drinks and Aaron leaned back, once again, in his chair. "Drink up, Doc," he said, sipping his water.

"Do you have eyes on them?" Byer demanded in the control room.

"Yes, sir," Dean responded, pointing to the restaurant on the map. "They're linked."

"They're going to be here today, so we need to get rid of them now. What do we have?"

"Morgan can go in there, if that's really what you want, sir."

"You know what, hold off on that. Just keep eyes on them and don't lose them, under any circumstances." Byer called, leaving the control room.

"We need to go," Aaron said, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and leaving a tip for the waitress. He and Marta walked out quickly, ducking from all the cameras around and hiding in sub stations. They boarded a subway and hid amongst the faces to get back to the great big city of New York.

"Marta, stay on me," Aaron whispered subtly as they left the sub station. "Do exactly as I do, follow my steps." Marta nodded, as neither one of them made eye contact.

"Xavier, Xavier," Byer said, entering the interrogation room yet again. The young boy sat silently, refusing to look at the man. "Your heroes are supposed to come at any point and I don't think it's any secret that they're coming for you." Xavier stayed still.

"I guess it'll be up to them how bad they want you; if they're willing to die to set you free. Let's get one thing straight, young man, I will do whatever I can to kill them," Ric Byer whispered to Xavier's ear.

Xavier finally looked up and the two held eye contact. "Good luck," he whispered back.

Aaron and Marta crept along the busy streets of New York City, despite it not even being daybreak yet. Silently, they sneaked across the city, until the large, skyscraping building know n as the Outcome Control Center, came into view.

"Stay with me," Aaron whispered slowly in Marta's ear, walking around to the back entrance. "Crap, it's locked," he muttered. "Stand back." Aaron pounded the door with his gun, and tore it down as he kicked it open with his feet. Silence. No alarm, no chaos.

"Come on," Aaron said, tearing quietly up the stairs. He stopped abruptly at the top when he saw movement. Aaron put his finger to his lips and motioned to Marta. They quickly darted into the closet across the hall.

When they were safely closed in, Aaron removed a gun from his bag and took off the safety on it. He flipped it to Marta, before proceeding to load his own gun.

"Marta, I'm going into the office rooms and the control panel. I'll cause a distraction and wreak havoc with all the workers and deal with Byer. I saw the interrogation room from outside—that's probably where Xavier is held. That room is right across the hall and a sharp left, first door on the right. Grab the boy, get out of here, and wait for me in the sub station across the street. Got it?"

Marta nodded, tucking the gun in her pocket.

"Only use that gun if absolutely necessary. The shpts will only draw more people toward you," Aaron added.

Marta nodded again, adrenaline rushing through her body. "Hey," Aaron whispered, grabbing onto her hand. "Look at me."

Marta looked up, into Aaron's beautiful, caring, shining blue-green eyes. "I'll see you in twenty minutes at the sub station, okay?"

"Okay," Marta replied. Aaron gave her an encouraging nod and began to walk out of the closet. Marta latched onto his arm. "Be careful," she whispered.

Aaron didn't know what to say, so he merely nodded solemnly and unlocked the closet door. He held up ten fingers, telling Marta to leave in ten seconds.

Marta was tearing up inside. She would remain brave, for Aaron and Xavier, but inside, she was a wreck. She couldn't lose Aaron, not after all he had done for her. Not after he had saved her life every single day. She refused to keep thinking that way, and counted down to zero, before slinking along the hallways, toward the interrogation room.

Aaron knew he would have a long road ahead of him today. But there was always fight in Aaron Cross, he had to keep going. He couldn't leave Marta alone, he most certainly could not surrender today. He was fighting for Marta… Between the raindrops.

Aaron quietly dashed into the office of Ric Byer, adjacent to the control room where the crew was stationed. Hurriedly, he looked through papers, rustled through filing cabinets, until he found what he was looking for. Outcome—Aaron Cross. Aaron picked up the file and flipped through it. It was full of on location statistics, where Aaron had been since he had first started on the program, and where they predicted he'd go. He found words at the bottom of a page that brought back bitter memories, "Sin-eater." Aaron could only shake his head, remembering his first meeting with Eric Byer.

"Do you know what a sin-eater is?"

"No, sir," Aaron had replied.

"That's what you are. You are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary."

Aaron had gritted his teeth then, and he gritted his teeth again now, thinking of that meeting. Sin-eater. Well, maybe he was, but not in the way Ric Byer wanted him to be. He was, in fact, absolutely necessary . . . to eat the sin of Ric Byer and Outcome. They were the real sin, the immoral, uncaring, murderous people, and today, Aaron Cross was going to eat all of it and get rid of it all.

Aaron picked up the phone and called the same number he had gotten from the TV screen back in Madagascar. He heard chaos outside as the phone began to ring, and heard someone call Byer into the room.

"Incoming call, sir," Terence Ward said to Byer.

Byer picked up the phone and said uncertainly, "Hello?"

"This is Aaron Cross," Aaron said quietly into the phone, flipping through some paper on his desk.

"Where are you?" Byer breathed into the phone, motioning for the group to track his phone call.

"I'd actually like to know where you are," Aaron said gruffly, throwing the papers back down and resting one hand on his gun.

"Well, in my office, of course," Byer responded.

Terence Ward whispered, "Keep him on for 30 more seconds and we can track him." Byer nodded.

"I highly doubt that," Aaron answered.

"Why?" Byer wondered, curiosity apparent in his eyes.

"Because if you were in your office right now," Aaron took two more steps closer to the door, "we'd be having this conversation face-to-face." With that, Aaron slammed down the phone, ripped his Outcome file to pieces on the floor, and darted across the hall into the next office.

Byer threw down the phone and ran into his office. "Cross!" he shouted, seeing his phone dangling from its hook and papers scattered all across the floor. Terence Ward and Dean joined Byer in his office.

"What do we do, sir?" they asked.

"Find him," Byer answered roughly, running through the door and out his office.

Marta heard the noise as the Outcome officers had called Ric Byer into the control room and knew it was all because of Aaron. She couldn't help but smile, especially when she saw Byer dart out of the same room Aaron had deemed the interrogation room, leaving it wide open for her.

Marta ducked as Byer left the room, and then darted toward the glass-cased room. She could see the thin, young boy holding his head and sitting in a chair and went to push open the door. "Crap," she muttered, upon discovering it was locked. Xavier looked up and Marta smiled and waved at the boy, mouthing, "I'm going to get you out." Marta kicked at the glass, but it was useless. She removed her gun and pounded it in, over and over again, loosening the glass but not shattering it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Marta saw the boy stand up and pick up his chair. He swung at the glass with the chair, shattering the glass door. Alarm. _No, _Marta thought, motioning toward Xavier.

"Come on, bud, we need to get out of here now," she said urgently, grabbing onto his wrist and running to the end of the building. She found the same staircase she and Aaron had climbed up and dashed down them. The door was still open and Marta and Xavier didn't hesitate to dash out the door and settle in the sub station across from the Outcome building, just as Aaron had said.

Aaron heard the eardrum-bursting alarms just as he was circling the building, finding the stairs he and Marta had come up from. That was his signal that Marta had gotten the boy and they were safe. Aaron, however, was not out of the woods yet.

The alarm had startled those not in the Outcome department, so now there were more people after Aaron. Aaron walked briskly through the building, his hand firmly rested on his gun.

"Hey, hey, hey, who are you?" a security guard rushed out of the office and glared at Aaron.

Aaron didn't even try to be courteous, or tall his way out of this. He was losing time, and fast. He brought his right fist across his body and caught the guard in the mouth. Aaron flipped him on his back with his leg, and pounded his face with both of his fists till the man was unconscious. _Got to go, _Aaron thought to himself, seeing the staircase across the hall. He rolled across the floor, staying low, and hustled down the staircase. The door was open, and Aaron slipped right through it.

"Sir, he's gone," Ward said to Byer after the alarm had finally been turned off and the Outcome building searched completely. "Cross and the boy."

Byer bit his lip and pounded his fist against the desk, making his knuckles red. "He destroyed his file, we have no way of knowing where he'll go next, and we've lost track of the cameras that are on him."

"How did we lose that?" Ward demanded, his voice rising.

"It was in his file, Terry!" Ric Byer answered loudly. "Cross destroyed his file, all of it!"

"He's off the grid," Dean added.

"Look, he couldn't have gotten far in ten minutes. Alert the officers in New York. Watch for him. We lose him, it'll be for years," Byer said.

"Sir, you might want to come check this out," Morgan called. Byer stepped over the body of the security guard to the shattered windows of the interrogation room. On the walls surrounding the room words were etched out with what was probably a knife. They said: SIN-EATER: NO MORE. Byer shook his head and angrily stormed back into his office.


	8. Take a Breath

I forgot to mention, in the last chapter I used a scene from the Bourne Ultimatum, in which Jason called Treadstone from his office. I used that scene, having Aaron call Byer from his own office. I thought that was such a brilliant scene, and kind of wanted it to tie into this Bourne episode again. I hope yall enjoyed the last chapter...only a couple more! I hope you are liking the story line as well; I'm having a ton of fun writing it! :)

**Take a Breath**

"Here we go, Xavier," Marta said gently to the young boy as they entered the sub station. "Aaron will meet us there when he finishes with them." Xavier nodded.

"Are you okay?" Marta asked him gently, placing her hand on the young boy's shoulder. "What did they do to you?"

Xavier shook his head. "Nothing like that," he assured her. "But they just held me there and they tried to tell me you wouldn't come for me, but I knew you would."

Marta smiled. "Aaron wasn't going to lose you," she said to the young boy. "Have you eaten?"

"Not much," Xavier shook his head. "They didn't give me much."

"Well, when Aaron comes, we'll get something to eat," Marta said, putting one arm around the boy. She had never had many children in her life, and seeing one in this condition made her heart hurt. Come on Aaron, she said to herself.

After killing some time to make sure no one was following him, Aaron finally made his way back to the sub station. He looked around worriedly, but relaxed when he saw Marta and Xavier sitting in a corner on a bench.

Marta relaxed completely when she saw Aaron walk into the sub station. She stood up and greeted him with a hug, only the second one she had ever shared with him. He wrapped his arms tightly and protectively around her and whispered in her ear, "I knew you could do it." Marta couldn't help but blush.

"Hey, Xavier!" Aaron greeted the boy, shaking his hand. Xavier grinned at Aaron.

"He hasn't gotten much to eat," Marta explained to Aaron.

Aaron nodded. "Are you hurt?" he asked the boy.

Xavier shook his head. "No, sir."

"Good." Aaron turned to Marta. "We'll get a cab and get something to eat. They're still trying to track me, but they don't know where we'll go from here. Stay low, still, got it?" Marta nodded.

"All right, let's go," Aaron threw his backpack in the back of cab and filed Marta and Xavier in, still wary of Byer and Outcome.

The three stopped at a small restaurant and ate a quick meal. While Xavier was eating, Aaron pulled Marta aside.

"Marta, we can't keep him," he said to her, his voice low.

"I know," Marta whispered.

"He'll slow us down, and this is no life for a kid. It's no life for you."

Marta nodded. "Well, what do we do with him then?"

"There's a foster care a few miles up. I don't want him to go there, but it's his best chance at survival. With everyone in Outcome after me, Xavier's a target now. I don't see what else there is to do," Aaron sighed.

"Hey, you did a good thing," Marta said to him, resting a hand on Aaron's arm. "You saved his life, at the expense of yours. He'll appreciate it." Aaron nodded, still a bit unsure. He still walked back to the table and began to start a conversation with Xavier.

"Xavier, what did Byer say to you?"

"Not much," Xavier replied, chewing his food hungrily. "He mostly tried to make me think I'd die, and tried to convince me you are a killer, sir. But I told him he was wrong. He's a bad man. Is he going to hurt me?"

Marta's heart began to break. "No, Xavier, he won't hurt you. But if you stay with us, you will get hurt, and I don't want that for you, after all your papa and you did for us. You'll have to stay here, in the care of someone else, so you're protected, okay?" Aaron explained to the boy.

Xavier finished his food and nodded, studying Aaron. "Okay," he responded. "You know he wants you dead, and he won't stop at anything for that to happen. He told me he expects you to go away on a boat again, so don't do that."

Aaron nodded. "Thank you, Xavier. We'll be careful. But we need to get going now."

Aaron paid the check and the three walked out into another cab and to the closest foster home. Aaron noticed a motorcycle had been following them closely since the restaurant and suddenly got an uneasy feeling.

"Xavier, listen to me," Aaron said, grabbing the boy's shoulders. "The cab's going to stop and I want you to jump off and run in to the building—don't look back. Just go. Tell them who you are—you're Pedro Garcia. Say it."

"Pedro Garcia."

"Say it."

"Pedro Garcia."

"Good, that is your name. It will keep you safe. Stay in the building at all times, and don't mention your past life," Aaron explained quickly, as the cab got closer to the home.

"Yes, sir," Xavier responded as the cab parked.

Aaron looked into the boy's eyes. "Look for us on TV, but don't say that you know us. Later, when you're grown up, come find us, okay?" Xavier nodded.

"Be safe, Pedro," Marta whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You too, ma'am," Xavier said. He turned to Aaron and whispered quietly, "God be with you and your girl." Xavier then darted out of the cab, dashed up the steps and slammed the door behind him. Aaron and Marta watched him go.

"That is a brave kid right there," Aaron observed. Marta could only nod in agreement.

Aaron changed the gearshift and began to drive the cab to a hotel where he and Marta could rest for the night. He was still wary about the motorcyclist behind them, and kept an eye on him as the cab zipped through the streets of New York. Soon, he was lost, and Aaron Cross and Marta Shearing were officially off the grid for the first time since Xavier and Carlos.


	9. Every Step

Okay guys, this is it! Short and sweet, but it's for all the Aaron/Marta lovers out there ;) Let me know what you all think and if I should write more stories like this! Thanks everyone! :)

**Every Step**

Aaron Cross pulled up into the hotel and paid for a room for the next two nights. He and Marta pulled themselves tiredly up the stairs and into their hotel room.

"Aaron," Marta said quietly, "you changed Xavier's name, just like you changed mine to June."

Aaron nodded, taking off his sweat-stained shirt. "Yes, I did. It will keep him safe. I want you both safe, always."

Marta was quiet as she laid down on the bed. "I wasn't sure," she finally said, "if I would ever trust another person in my life."

"What do you mean?" Aaron questioned, sitting down on the bed across from Marta.

Marta sighed deeply. "I was supposed to marry a man named Peter Boyd last year. He left me though, because he thought I was cheating on him." Marta began to choke up. "I wasn't," she whispered. "But when I infected you with live virus last year, and you found out later, you didn't even leave me. You've always been with me, you've always protected me," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Why?"

"Because I need you too," Aaron whispered back, placing his hand on her cheek. "I don't know why, I don't know when I knew it for sure, I've just known I've always needed you. You're the only consistent thing in my life, Doc, you're always there for me." He paused, gazing into her eyes. "I trust you."

Marta looked up, wiping away her tears. "I trust you," she responded softly. Marta got up off the bed and went into the bathroom to go wash her face. Aaron followed her.

As Marta wiped her face dry, Aaron said bluntly, "God, you're a warrior."

Marta wiped her face and turned around. "How am I a warrior, Aaron? You keep saying that, but I cry over a kid I barely even know, I cry over a man I don't even love anymore, and I cry over you, God knows why!"

Aaron took three more steps to Marta and opened his arms for her. Marta didn't fight it. She fell into his warm embrace, for the second time that day, and nestled her head in his neck. He protectively enveloped her with his strong arms, and she gripped on to his back tightly. Tears began to drip off her eyes and onto Aaron's shoulder, which only made him pull her even closer.

"Shh," he whispered, stroking her hair. Marta didn't want to admit how good that felt.

No.

He was doing it. Aaron was falling for his doctor—hard. He was in love.

Would it really be that bad if he just relaxed for a few days? He was, after all, off the grid. How bad could it be? And Marta needed him more than anything. She needed to know he would always be there for her. He would never leave her.

Marta hadn't been this close to anyone, let alone a man, since Peter Boyd. And Peter Boyd couldn't make her feel this good. Only Aaron Cross had this effect on her, only he could make her shiver with warmth, happy on the inside. It was only him. And his strong, muscular body pressed firmly against hers felt better than anything in the world right now.

"Shh," Aaron whispered soothingly, rubbing his hands down her arms. "Come on, let's go to bed," he whispered. "You're tired, you need sleep."

"No," Marta cried, gripping onto Aaron's body. "Don't leave me," she begged. Aaron pulled away.

"Look at me right now," he said, grasping her face with his hands. "I have the ability to kill anyone I so choose, at any moment, but I don't kill you, Marta. I will never leave you, ever. And don't ever think that."

Aaron didn't even think about what he was going to do next. It had never even crossed his mind, was completely unplanned. But as Aaron was standing there with Marta, her face trapped between his hands, staring into her beautiful eyes, he knew what he was going to do. Slowly, Aaron tilted his head and his lips collided with hers.

It was like fireworks. Even Peter Boyd had never kissed her like that, but Marta should have known, this was Aaron Cross. He did everything so passionately, so why should his kiss be any different?

He kept his lips completely enclosed on hers, and dropped one hand to rest on the small of her back, the other still stroking her cheek. Marta moved her hands down to his bare chest and stroked his abs.

Aaron was good. No, he was better than good. As the kiss heated up, he gently slid his tongue into her mouth, making Marta weak at the knees. He held her with both of his hands now at her waist, and Marta moved her hands to run her fingers through his hair. His perfect, dirty-blonde hair.

Aaron couldn't remember the last time he had felt so good. He moved his hands back to Marta's cheeks and slowly released his lips from hers. The two just stood there staring at each other, in complete silence. Finally, Marta fell into his arms again and he carried her over to the bed.

This time, Aaron didn't roll over to the far corner of the bed, bundled up in a ball. He laid closer to her and rested his arm on her back. Marta thought that probably felt better than anything Peter Boyd could ever do.

The rest of their lives were going to be hard. They were going to strenuous, and their lives would be endangered every single day. But they had something bigger than that: each other. "I'll never leave you, Doc," Aaron whispered, placing a small kiss on the top of her head. "I'll be with you every step. Between the raindrops."


End file.
